Does anyone have experience with weight gain while using Minivelle patch ? I use .0375 dosage.
Weight gain and estradiol patch- Minivelle?
Question posted by YTC on 11 May 2013
Last updated on 27 September 2018
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
30 Answers Page 2
Snoopgirl
17 June 2016
YES! I've been on the Minivelle patch 1.0 for a few weeks and I was on the .5 before that for a month. I've gained 10 LBS!! I'm gluten free and I haven't changed my diet. I'm bloated and feel huge. I have a family reunion in three weeks so I've taken it off as of today. I will deal with the hot flashes and brain fog for a while and see if the weight drops off. I'd rather be uncomfortable and fit my clothes!
Princess62
23 April 2017
I was on 0.1 for a few years and did not experience much weight gain, only a few pounds. I came off because of a change in insurance and I did not want to pay the increase. Since being off I have experienced hair loss/shedding over the last few months. Wondering if it is due to stopping the patch.
Amy099
12 Oct 2015
So glad I read all of this. I thought it was just me. I am 50, had a hysterectomy at age 29 and was on various dosages of Premarin or Estratest for 26 years. They took me off everything given the risks of synthetic estrogens as we age, and long term use. I was ok for about a year then started having night sweats, melt-down hot flashes multiple times during the day, couldn't sleep, and mentally... I don't know, I was losing it. I can't describe what was happening. My GYN put me in Minivelle .0375 in Dec 2013. All the menopause symptoms went away within a month but within 3 months I had gained 10 pounds. Mostly in my mid section but my breasts seem larger too. I'm only 5' so this is significant for me and I can't get it off no matter what I do. I often feel bloated as well and have significantly diminished libido.
Now I seem to be gaining again and I'm not doing anything different! I don't want to go off estrogen again but I'd love a different solution that didn't come with weight gain.
Inactive
20 Aug 2015
I just lost 82Pounds I am sick with fear of gaining. I am conscience of my eating and am active at a very high movement job.
It was brutal to loose it at my age. I stick to a low Cal diet with few carbs.
I work with all Men and can't handle what is happening here with no outlet, I am also single, so I VERY MUCH REQUIRE THIS PATCH.
Geez... Please any advise would be appreciated, I am 49.
I am also on the lowest dose. Good luck to everyone.
Any response would help.
TanyaJohnson
18 Sep 2015
Can you please tell me what the lowest dose is? I just got put on 0.1 from my doctor which the nurse said it was the lowest dose. In thinking she's wrong. Can you please tell me?
Speckla
28 Feb 2018
.1 is the highest dose on the patch.
Inactive
13 Aug 2015
I used a variety of doses after arriving at the lowest dose on a estrodial patch .025. No weight gain at this dose for me and I lost the weight on the initial dose of 0.1. I had gained 9-10 pounds in a month! This lower dose got rid of hot flashes. However my energy was lacking and I spoke to my doctor who put me on oral estrogen/progesterone/testosterone combo and I'm feeling much better now! I still use patch. No bone aches, energy & weight stabilized. Although I'd like to lose a few! Surgical menopause, age 49.
Inactive
13 Aug 2015
I had gained the weight on initial dose of 0.1. Losing the weight after I switched to lower doses over the course of 2 months.
Lisanarro
9 Feb 2017
I had a hysterectomy Dec.9 2017 I'm 41 years old lots of medical problems.. (lupus ) and I'm on this patch estradiol 0.1 I've gained 16! Lbs. since Dec. my intake in food hasn't change what so ever . I have mention this to my GYN But he states that shouldn't make me gain anything..
*help*
Should I stop using it???
Happygirl2015
13 Aug 2015
Yes I have notice that I have gained weight for the year that I have taken it. I had tried to lose the weight but I can't. I have tried everything nothing is working.
DBH58
28 Oct 2014
I am 55yr 165# 5'6". For the last 3 years, I was prescribed several different "personally compounded Troches". Each different tweek brought my period, so my OBGYN prescribed Minivell .05.
I just finished my first 3mos, on the patch. I assure that my eating habits are very-very controlled. Low-to-no fat, sugar, junk, and I eat like a bird. I gained 5#, in the first round. The bones in my feet hurt, everytime I stood up. Joints in my fingers ached. I felt listless, ZERO libido, ZERO ability to make decisions. I didn't feel bad... I felt NOTHING. This week, I removed the patch, to begin the "flush", with Medroxyprogesterone. I feel like ME again!! The bones in my feet don't hurt. My mind is sharp! I can think and make decisions, again. Two negatives, though: Night sweats- I wake a few times at night, AND this was supposed to bring-on my period, to flush my uterus. It has not. ((Shrug)).
pdl53
6 Nov 2014
I am 53, active and having multiple menopausal symptoms. I'm so happy to hear I'm not the only one experiencing rapid weight gain on the patch. I started the Minivelle patch in the higher dose. Within 3 weeks I'd gained 7 pounds. My doctor suggested cutting the patch in half, which I did for a week. No change in weight. I am removing the patch today after reading that this is a very common problem. Back to the hot flashes!
Unicorn21
19 Dec 2014
I am a 50 year old, almost 51, but who is counting when your watching the scale go from 140 to 172 in about 10 months after having all the rest removed and begin using minivelle 0.1 mg requesting I apply 1 patch on the skin twice a week. I actually had lost weight two years ago from 180 to to 137 and I am now back there again. To include being tired all the time-dry skin-bloated especially the middle area of my body, literally went from a size 8-10 to a 14 in just three months and that size is getting tight... so I am going to try to go without anything and see how it is. Keep your fingers crossed. From a middle age woman who wishes she could be "normal"
Rebecccabrooks
31 Dec 2015
I am 39 been going through menopause for the last 2 years the patch has really helped. I started hearing all the stories about taking hormones so I stopped I could notice in about a week of not taking them bones ached tired joints hurting bad hot flashes . So went back to the patch hot flashes improved bones stopped aching I have actually lost weight on the patch
lgri5th
12 Aug 2014
I am 50. I had a complete hysterectomy one year ago. I was on a bioidentical for many months. I liked it but I started growing a lot of hair all over... arms, legs, face. So I went back to my GYN and he put me on the 1 mg Minivelle patch. On the bioidenticals, I had lost 28 pounds since Christmas. I have been on the patch for less than a month and I have gained 10 pounds!!! Whoa!! Pulled that sucker off this morning and I am going back to the Test/Estro/Progest cream. I'd rather be a hairy than FAT!!
dianekjs
12 Aug 2014
I understand your frustration, but the Minivelle patch is bioidentical estradiol. Your dosage may be too high, and you should absolutely be taking bioidentical progesterone concurrently. NOT a progestin, which is synthetic. The testosterone in your prior formulation likely became too dominant as your estrogen dropped, leading to the hair growth. Vivelle-Dot seems less linked to weight gain, but costs more. It is another brand of bioidentical estradiol patch that many do very well on. And take heart, your rapid weight gain is likely water weight, which happens when you're not balancing estradiol with progesterone. Consider trying a lower dose Vivelle Dot patch along with progesterone and eliminate the testosterone for now. You can always add a little later on if needed but first see if the above gets you back on track.
lasergirl
25 Oct 2014
As a 52 laser hair removal specialist for 15 years, I can tell you by personal experience that removing the hair growth caused by the bioidentical cream can be slowed down while still using the cream and completely removed with laser hair removal once the cream is stopped completely in that area of application. Between the laser and changing to the patch estrodial .1my inner arms are hair free again. A suggestion would be to use the cream under the arm, so shaving is a more "normal" , acceptable place of shaving daily.
harden7
10 Nov 2014
hello I was reading through the post and ran across yours. Can I ask you a question about your minivelle experience? I too , had a complete hyst and was on creams. I was applying them in the am and by 2 or 3, was having anxiety and panic. I went to Minivelle patch and have had hurting legs ever since.How long of space ( e.c . days) did you space between going from patch back to cream? Did you start the cream the day after you took off the patch or what? Thank you for your time!!!
dianekjs
11 Nov 2014
I'd like to update my experiences on first Minivelle, then Vivelle Dot, and now a combination of Vivelle Dot and Vivigel. My hormone levels haven't really stabilized yet, as I'm not quite officially in mp, and therefore it's hard to tell how much my own fluctuations (which were quite extreme for awhile) has influenced my impressions. Minivelle was the first HRT of any kind I had tried, and after struggling with incessant hot flashes and night sweats accompanied by mood swings, the near-immediate relief it brought was a godsend. While weight gain didn't present as an issue for some time, I do think that the Minivelle patch may have made me retain fluid to an increasing degree and in that way contributed to some weight gain. I switched to Vivelle Dot and found that the situation dramatically improved and that I just felt so much better, sharper, leaner, in general.
But after some months, and I'm sure continued decline in my own hormones, we needed to tinker with the dosage, and are still experimenting a little to find the best possible balance. Right now I'm applying Vivigel (gel estradiol) to thigh once/day, and have bumped up a notch on the Vivelle Dot patch. So far, so good. No discernible weight gain so far, but will try to update after a longer trial.
TishaB
15 Feb 2015
Wow my doc just started me on the patch 0.5 I'm getting nervous reading all of this ..I had a total Hysterectomy at 33 I'm 36 I have to take something ..I was on the biest- cream but, my body was not absorbing it... But, I don't want to gain that's why she changed me ... I also take 200 mg.of progesterone at night ... Don't know what I should do I deff.don't want to gain more wt???
Shellybarrett67
6 June 2015
I have just had total hyster. I am 47 reading these comments got me kinda worried since I don't wnt to trade one problem for another and it sound like that's what's gonna happen with this weight problem I already have I weigh already 259 I am scars 300 will come quickly if I start this patch I was given minivelle sample patch to start
Ssheehan
23 Jan 2014
I had been on Estratest 125/2.5 for many years, decided 5 months ago to switch and try Minivelle 0.05... I started gaining weight immediately and still gaining it. I called my doctor today and requested to be switched back to Estratest. This may not be others experiences but it certainly doesn't work for me and it's the only thing different I have done.
cleome
8 Jan 2014
I went on the Minivelle patch. After FOUR days my knees swelled. That was 8/2013. I immediately removed the patch and stopped. The swelling never ceased, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis now, I walk with a cane, my life is forever changed. My pain and swelling is constant and no one will readily admit there is a connection but I know my body. Be aware of this hormone!! I had tried many other products, since 2006 I have suffered with hideous life altering hot flashes.
Since this has happened my hot flashes are few-another reason I know this is all linked. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
Btrfly0877
19 April 2014
How are you now?
wldwyros
17 Oct 2014
I read this awhile ago, and found it intriguing. I have been on this patch, and also have gained weight. I am experiencing terrible knee pain, that comes and goes, in both knees and my feet also hurt sometimes. Have no idea what to do. Ididn't really associate it with this, but I am really concerned. I exercise and walk a lot, but lately the pain had made it unbearable. If this would be my world from now on, I would be devastated. I am thinking I will go cold turkey off all hormones, and see how I get along. Any suggestions. Has anyone else had these knee issues?
Inactive
2 March 2015
I went on Vivelle dot in December and have gained 7 pounds. Yes it relieved my hot flashes immediately but now have knee pain that is relentless. I'm miserable so I went off of it. Waiting for the hot flashes to return ugh!! FYI I'm 49 with hysterectomy in my 30's & jan 2014 removal of ovaries. These blogs are so important for us!! I have referred to them repeatedly. Yes, I have a doctor. Anyways, I plan to let you all know what happens next! Day one off my .075 I felt good, on day 2 I felt great! I had a ton of energy & accomplished a ton!!! Weight gain of 2 pounds on day 2!! Could be from ibuprofen. Will report in a few days! Hang in there girls!!
SHEsevEN4
13 Feb 2016
I have been on Minivelle patch since May 2014 I have had sore feet, and hands swell and sore, never had this before, Cleome you are right, no one will admit there is a connection I know its linked.
suesinger71
19 Feb 2016
I have been on the patch .05 and in 3 weeks gained 7 pounds no way I would rather have hot flashes and less sleep. I feel very bloated. I not happy with this at all.
Seek answers
21 Nov 2016
I too have had a complete hysterectomy for ten years, I'm 58, on minivelle patch, .0375 2x's a week, and vagifem 10 mcg 2x's a week. I have sore feet, left knee pain, tons of joint pain, back pain, and lots of weight gain. Seems every month I gain a pound. I am a full time worker in a busy job, exercise as much as I can, walk, swim, yoga, and yet not able to do what I used to. Seems reasonable to realize I'm aging. I never looked at minivelle patch to be an issue. I now am going to reeducate myself. Thanks for blog.
lturner1001
11 April 2017
I have experienced the knee and foot pain along with my hands hurting from time to time. After my full hysterectomy I lost almost 50lbs. I'm 8 months post op and have gained all my weight back which is crazy. I felt good with the weight off. I had a 10lb fibroid tumor and my uterus was the size of me being 3 months pregnant. I could have died if the fibroid had gotten any bigger. Doctor says it would have suffcoated me. So truly blessed. My hot flashes, sweats and no sleep were really bad. Doctor out me on this patch..now I'm wondering if I should get off it.
Marcimc
8 Jan 2014
I have been on The Minivelle patch for 2 months and have gained 7 lbs! I am very unhappy and going back to using the Vivelle Dot patch.
NLPgirl
10 Nov 2013
I strongly suggest being under the care of an endocrinologist for HRT. I lived in menopause hell for 3 plus years before finally getting the Minivelle patch (.05), but my doc is also balancing it with progesterone.What I mainly wish to impart to my sisters here is this: jettison ALL crap out of your diets! Quit eating sugar and junk carbs. You will not gain weight, and in fact I lost weight easily, for the first time in my life. I swear if you put in the effort, it will pay off!
Ahyoung0126
22 Dec 2013
I agree! Hormone balance actually improves weight balance. That's why women hold on to weight as they get older. It not how much you eat, it's what you eat. My doctor says if you don't put it in, you can't put it on. :o)
cindyt2229
11 Sep 2014
Gosh the ladys who have gained weight really have me scared, I need to loose, try a gluten free diet , is what I was told, and I feel it all depends on how u eat when u eat and the amount of water, I am really questioning my decision to use this now,I do not wanna gain weight
Gemstonejada
11 March 2015
I have been on the estrogen patch for approx. 4 months now and have gained approx. 5-7 lbs. My weight has been very stable for many many years - until now. The estrogen patch has definitely caused weight gain for me, in a relatively short time frame. All of my clothes are extremely tight and getting tighter.
Question - my period just stopped about 4 mos. ago and I was getting 'cold sweats' so I opted for the patch and progesterone (compounded). I am still trying to get a good balance of estrogen to progesterone but feel very out of sorts. Any input anyone may have along these lines would be very much appreciated.
Jjas
20 Aug 2015
I too gained weight when I started on HRT. My weight has always been something that was easy for me to maintain. I'd go on vacation, gain 3lbs, a week later it would be gone and I'd be back to my normal weight, with minimal effort. All that has now changed! I've gained 12lbs over the seven months I've been on hrt. I've more than doubled my efforts to loose this and now eat a raw vegan diet. I work out at least 4 days a week a combination of swimming, yoga, pilates and weight training. That scale has not moved (down)! This is soooo perplexing to me.
TanyaJohnson
12 Sep 2015
I went to my doctor and he ran blood work and found out I was was extremely low on estogen. He never check to see if I was low on progestron is this normal? He prescribed me miniville. I am actually picking up today. Just curious if I need to be concerned with him not checking me completely. Advise please?
TanyaJohnson
12 Sep 2015
I went to my doctor and he ran blood work and found out I was was extremely low on estogen. He never check to see if I was low on progestron is this normal? He prescribed me miniville. I am actually picking up today. Just curious if I need to be concerned with him not checking me completely. Advise please?
cldorais
24 July 2013
I started the minivelle 0.0375 May 10th,2013. took it for 3 days,very irritable, had to switch to cutting the patch in half, this worked but I have gained 6 pounds since May 10th. I still eat the same and exercise every day. Any solutions?
Cindy
countrygramma
16 June 2013
Yes i am on 0.05 and i have gained 10# while on the patch in 1 month. I lost 53# 3 years ago and kept it off till i started the patch and this is not making me very happy. No matter what i do i am still gaining and i dont eat carbs. I am looking for help on this as well if anyone out there knows what to do HELP!!!
dianekjs
16 June 2013
I'm sorry you're having problems with weight gain while on as estradiol patch. Without knowing your age, reason for going on the patch, etc., it's hard to speculate what might be at play here, but I do know that it is all about achieving the proper hormonal balance. So-called "estrogen dominance" commonly causes weight gain in perimenopausal and menopausal women, is often rapid and persistent, and is a sign of hormonal imbalance. Make sure you are properly balancing your estrogen with progesterone, and be aware that it is the ratio that is important, not the numerical values. Progesterone declines with age much more dramatically than estrogen does, and many women discover that low or nonexistent progesterone is responsible for symptoms. Your estradiol levels may be too high in relation to your progesterone levels, in other words.
You may want to experiment with adding a low, physiologic does of progesterone and dropping to a lower does estradiol patch (or stopping it).
If you are already taking progesterone or do decide to trying adding it (with or without the Minivelle), please make sure it is progesterone, which is bioidentical, and not a progestin like Prempro, which can cause all sorts of problems. I would also encourage you to eschew oral progesterone (Prometrium) and opt for a transdermal, or even better, transmucosal, delivery system. This avoids the liver first-pass and comes closest to mimicking nature. Best of luck to you.
countrygramma
16 June 2013
I am 55, I have had a complete Historectomy.I have had problems with no sleep,hot flashes,low sex drive,mood swings. My doc gave me the patch i was happy with the changes till i started to put on weight.
countrygramma
16 June 2013
I forgot my Hist was 3 years ago tried to do it without anything but it didnt work.
dianekjs
16 June 2013
Are you taking progesterone in addition to the Minivelle? Many doctors assume that if you don't have a uterus you don't need to oppose the estrogen with progesterone, but this is not always the case. They need to be in the correct ratio in the body, and many women your age have very little progesterone. Add to that the replaced estradiol from the Minivelle and it becomes even more unbalanced. Try adding progesterone, with the guidelines given above. You can buy Pro-gest over-the-counter at Whole Foods or on Amazon. Follow directions precisely and see if it helps.
countrygramma
16 June 2013
My doc told me if you do both it raises the risk of cancer and i have a lot of cancer in my family so that worries me.
dianekjs
16 June 2013
That's if you use a combined synthetic estrogen + a progestin. It is not true with bioidentical hormones in the correct ratio, in fact there is mounting evidence that balancing your hormones in this manner reduces health risks in many areas, including cancer.
countrygramma
16 June 2013
How do i know which is the correct amount?? So the biodentical is an over the counter type and is safe to use with the patch. I took the patch off today to stop using it to see if the patch is what is causing the gain and to see if the symptoms come back.
dianekjs
16 June 2013
This is getting a bit too involved for this forum, but I encourage you to educate yourself and keep working to find the right balance for you. As for the progesterone cream that I mentioned, it won't hurt to try it and some women find tremendous relief. However, it is extremely important to follow the directions very carefully. Don't use too much, and follow the dosage schedule. The directions tell you the appropriate amount, how, where, and when to apply, etc. Read them carefully and follow exactly. If you had your ovaries removed along with your uterus (you said "total hysterectomy"), then you may need the Minivelle (estradiol), but may want to try the lower dosage patch (0.037), plus the Pro-gest cream. Give the progesterone time to work; it can take awhile for things to stabilize.
Check out the Pro-gest on Amazon, and read through the reviews to learn of other experiences. Understand the difference between progestins (bad) and progesterone (good, bioidentical). You do need progesterone, and possibly a little testosterone, to balance estrogen in the body, uterus or not. An endocrinologist who works with bioidenticals and menopause would be a wonderful resource for you, although tracking one down can be challenging. What was the reason for your hysterectomy? If it was fibroids, and/or heavy periods, you may be interested to know that deficient progesterone resulting in estrogen dominance is often responsible. Check out Diana Schwarzbein, MD's website menopausepower.com; John Lee's "What Your Dr. May Not Tell You About Menopause," or Marina Johnson's "Outliving Your Ovaries" for more information.
Last but not least, proper nutrition will make a huge difference in supporting hormonal balance. The Schwarzbein Principle and Perfect Health Diet are both excellent in this regard. Let me know how it goes after you make some changes.
akteach
4 Aug 2013
My story could be your story exactly!! I wish I had an answer for you. I was told by my health care provider that this would NOT cause weight gain. I also have a few of the other sever side effects so I'm going to stop this for awhile then maybe try again just to see? I plan to discuss with PCP tomorrow also. Hope we can get help... good luck!
Ahyoung0126
22 Dec 2013
I'm a little late replying, but I just recently started using the patch. My doctor told me the cancer risks increase if I took the Minivelle alone. I told him I felt great and didn't think I needed the progesterone, but he corrected me quickly. I am a Medical Assistant for a family practice, and the doctor I work for always says, if you don't put it in, you can't put it on. In other words, the only way to gain weight is to eat, so while certain disorders and meds may help keep the weight on, the only way to gain it, is to eat it. My weight has gone up and down over the years, but even taking the hormones and being treated for hypothyroidism, I have managed to keep my weight steady, 5'3", 135lbs. What I have noticed about the patch is my sex drive. I really never had a sex drive, doing it just because, sounds bad, I know, but now, I want it, I seek it, and I think about it. My husband likes it for sure.
I'll be 35 next month and my doctor said I should be having lots of sex. My moods are better and I don't wake up hot, kicking off my covers. It's been several months since you wrote. I'd be interested in knowing what you think now.
NRichard
14 June 2014
I am 62, had a complete hysterectomy in 1993 and am currently using a compound of progesterone SR 100mg daily, with DHEA SR 10mg and estradiol patches in 0.0375 mg/day. I have experienced significant weight gain in the last year but cannot truly attribute it to only the patches. My issue is that the cost of the patches are $75+ a month for 4. That's more than my budget can handle and I'd like to know if there's something natural out there that wouldn't be as expensive. I've tried to go without them for a week at a time for a little while, but I without the estradiol I have hot flashes, moody, headaches, sleeplessness. Most of what I read deals with natural menopause, not surgical. Appreciate any help. THANKS
rugrats
26 March 2015
I am finally on the correct bioidentical estrogen and progestin hormones because I finally found a doctor who knows what she's doing. I feel so much better. I will say that before I found her, another doctor had me taking (2) 600mg of magnesium glycinate at night for sleep. I HIGHLY recommend it. Puts you to sleep soundly! You do have to take it for a couple of weeks or so if your hormones are very off balance before it kicks in. My new doctor suggested magnesium nitrate instead of the glycinate because it absorbs easier but to me the glycinate worked better for me. Fortunately now that my hormones are balanced, I don't need either. It took me having to find board certified physicians that didn't take insurance at all to get the help I needed. Worth EVERY penny. It's called Synergy, located in Chesapeake, Va. You may be able to find something like that in your area. It's taken me MANY years to finally get the help I needed in ONE visit to this doctor vs YEARS of suffering and expense from so many others. Good luck!
Jodicara
31 March 2015
There are several possible contributors to weight gain with estrogen use. First, estrogen interferes with thyroid hormones. If you already take synthetic thyroid hormones or dessecated thyroid, you will likely need to increase your dose concurrent with estradiol. It would be worth getting a thyroid panel even if you've never been diagnosed with a problem. Second, you may need to be balancing the estradiol with progesterone. You can try OTC creams, but those may not contain enough progesterone. I don't really like prescribing progesterone in transdermal creams as it can build up in fatty areas, overdosing the patient over time. Oral forms of progesterone must be processed by the liver creating metabolites that can cause unpleasant side-effects. I prefer vaginal delivery. You can use oral Prometrium vaginally. Prometrium is bio-identical progesterone in a peanut oil base.
If you are allergic to peanuts you could have your doctor write a prescription for a compounded vaginal suppository. Finally, you may need a bit of testosterone. This hormone isn't just for men, women need it too. It can help to preserve lean muscles and keep bones strong, as well as increasing energy and boosting libido.
houndnhorse
19 April 2015
I was on the Vivelle Dot patch for almost 5 years, very happy, very helpful with all menopausal symptoms, gained a tiny bit but nothing abnormal. Then my new insurance switched me to the Estradiol patch. Been miserable ever since. Gained a lot of weight in the 4 months I have been on Estradiol. Getting headaches, moody, joint pains, overal not feeling well. Also developed asthma symptoms and didn't understand till I read warnings about the Estradiol patch. Switching insurance and going back on Vivelle!!!
marylou64
31 July 2015
I was in the Minivelle patch and also gained weight. I was miserable! I have had a total hysterectomy. I was first on Premarin for 6 years and my doctor said it was time for me to get off of that pill. I experienced loss of hair and many UTI's. He then placed me on the patch and I went from a high dose to a 0.5. My hair grew back but I gained 20 pounds in 6 months! I also started having pain in my legs and feet. Right now, I'm on Estradiol; 0.25. I'm cutting the 0.50 dosage in half. I'm not happy with the hair loss and night sweats. Not sure what I'm going g to do.
ugafavfan
12 July 2018
I lost 60lbs 3 years ago and have managed to keep it off. Since I've started minivelle patch 3 months ago I have put on 15lbs and I have changed nothing in my diet or daily routine and still have really bad night sweats. I am seriously considering coming off all meds to keep weight off!
dianekjs
14 May 2013
I disagree with Answer #1, as I have actually lost a little weight after a month or so on Minivelle, without changing anything in my diet or exercise routines. I am on the .05 dose and so far am very pleased. I've been able to sleep soundly through the night again, and the night sweats and hot flashes have completely stopped. Evidently quite a few women do experience some weight gain on the estradiol patch, but it isn't inevitable or a given. My friend gained a few pounds initially, but when she started cutting out carbs, they came right off. Your estradiol and progesterone levels may still need some tweaking, and a gynecologist or endocrinologist with plenty of experience working with bioidenticals should be able to help you find the proper balance.
cindyt2229
11 Sep 2014
Omgosh, I am glad to hear that I got really scared, Last yr at this time, I weighed around 130, It seems like I woke up 160, I struggled to loose 50lbs and I was happy, Havent had a period in 7months now, started having really bad hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings, couldn't take it anymore, Just started, the Minivelle patch yesterday I am on 0.05, and 10 mg, progesterone, I am miserable at this weight, bloated,unhappy, at 46, I do not wanna gain weight, my cholesterol is high, now I'm scared ..
mgui
1 Nov 2014
Do you have uterus? My problem is the progesterone or norethindrone. I have issues with both. Progesterone causes tiredness and achiness, but helped my digestion and libido. Norethindrone hurts my stomach and reduces libido. I was thinking of the progestin iud... wondering how is it working for other women.
jmmtaylor
5 April 2017
I'm the same as Cindy2229 I take .05 of minivelle and 10 mg, progesterone. Weight loss has been none even though I have tried. I had a full hysterectomy because i had stage 4 endometriosis. I have also since found out that my thyroid is messed up so that isn't helping with the weight loss.
bestpup
12 May 2013
Despite the dosage weight gain is almost inevitable when your using any type of nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen. Even though your already on a low dose and receiving it @ a 24 hour release rate, maybe you can ask your doctor for a lower dose, either by pill or patch?
Not knowing what your taking it for, you have to ask, yourself do the side effects (weight gain) justify the treatment for which your taking the medication?
Best of luck.
bestpup.
dianekjs
16 June 2013
The Minivelle patch is bioidentical estradiol, i.e. it has an identical molecular structure to that found naturally in the human body. While it may be synthesized in a lab, it is not a synthetic estrogen like Premarin, which has documented risks associated with its use in HRT. Premarin is conjugated estrogens that are isolated from pregnant mares' urine.
Related topics
estradiol patch, weight loss (obesity/overweight), estradiol, weight, dosage, patch, minivelle
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